health briefs

Cordyceps Sinensis Enhances Performance in Distance Runners

A Himalayan fungus that has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cordyceps sinensis, attracted global attention in 1993 when Chinese athletes broke world records in track and field. To study its effects, Brazilian researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which they gave 30 amateur marathoners two grams of the fungus each day for 12 weeks. Compared to the placebo group, those in the Cordyceps group had significantly lower heart rates at eight weeks and improved aerobic performance at 12 weeks.

Viewing Art Online Improves Well-Being

Art and music have long been said to soothe the savage soul, and hundreds of studies have shown that people’s moods and sense of wellbeing are improved by everything from artwork displayed in mental institutions and offices to regularly visiting art museums. With the pandemic, many museums began offering extensive online tours and exhibits, and a new study from the University of Vienna suggests that online art can have the same effect as “real life” art.

Researchers tested 84 individuals that viewed Monet’s The Water Lily Pond and also photographs of a Japanese bento box that included information on its traditions and food preparation, such as might be found in a history museum. Participants typically spent one to two minutes with each viewing. Follow-up questionnaires found that even a short online experience encouraged positive states like serenity, happiness and stimulation, while also lowering negative states like fear, anger, anxiety and loneliness. Wellbeing effects are most pronounced, wrote the authors, when “such content is beautiful, meaningful and inspires positive cognitive-emotional states in the viewer.”

Malignant Melanoma Linked to Seafood Consumption

Eating higher amounts of fish, specifically tuna and non-fried fish, appears to increase the risk of malignant melanoma, according to a Brown University study of 491,367 U.S. adults published in the journal Cancer Causes and

Control. Examining 15 years of data, the researchers found that compared to subjects with a median daily fish intake of .11 ounces, those with a median daily intake of 1.5 ounces had a 22 percent higher risk of malignant melanoma and a 28 percent increased risk of melanoma in situ, characterized by abnormal cells in the outer layer of the skin. “We speculate that our findings could possibly be attributed to contaminants in fish, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, arsenic and mercury,” says study author Eunyoung Cho, an associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology. Pending further research on the underlying biological mechanisms, the authors did not recommend any changes to fish consumption.

Supplements, Exercise and Non-Western Diet Lower Cancer Risk

The critical importance of simple lifestyle strategies in cancer prevention has been borne out by two recent endeavors. In a five-year study of 2,157 physically active people over 70 from five European countries, international researchers found that 2,000 International Units a day of vitamin D3 and one gram a day of marine omega3s, plus a simple home-strength exercise program, reduced the risk of invasive cancers by 61 percent. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, that analyzed the diets and health outcomes of 134,775 people, found that a Western-style diet rich in red and processed meat, sugar, refined grains and carbohydrates was linked with an E. coli strain prominent in colorectal cancer.

Probiotic May Increase Skin Moisture

Dry skin can afflict people at any age, particularly those living in dry climates, and it is commonplace in older people due to the natural loss of oil glands. Japanese researchers have found a possible solution: a probiotic originally fermented from a Southeast Asian riceand-fish dish that boosts skin moisture within weeks. In a double-blind study, they tested 80 middle-aged adults with a supplement of heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum probiotics for 12 weeks. They found the supplement significantly increased skin water content and reduced transepidermal water loss in the face, particularly for seniors and those with the driest skin.

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Vaginal Rejuvenation with EmpowerRF

by Dr. Gene DeLucia

As time goes, vaginal tissues experience numerous changes. The aging process is a primary cause of these changes and is something that no woman can avoid once she moves into middle age and beyond. Additionally, shifting hormone production levels are a significant factor behind changes like decreased vaginal moisture and thinning vaginal walls. The combination of these two changes can make it difficult to enjoy sex.

Pregnancy and childbirth can also alter vaginal tissues. Women who’ve had multiple children have an even higher risk for vaginal atrophy and vaginal dryness. Even gravity plays a role in ever-changing female reproductive organs.

What is Vaginal Rejuvenation?

Vaginal rejuvenation is a term used to describe treatments that improve vaginal function without invasive surgery. There are several options for vaginal rejuvenation and a solution to virtually every set of needs. EmpowerRF is an innovative system that uses radiofrequency energy to alter vaginal tissues. This system can deliver intravaginal electrical muscle stimulation to tone muscle fibers that support vaginal tone. EmpowerRF also delivers carefully controlled radiofrequency energy to internal or external tissue. That energy creates heat, which prompts the body to respond by creating new collagen cells. That process thickens vaginal walls and improves vaginal lubrication.

Multiple minimally invasive vaginal rejuvenation treatment options are available as part of the EmpowerRF platform, including Forma V, Morpheus8 V, and V Tone, all by InMode.

Morpheus8 V delivers controlled pulses of radiofrequency energy deep into the vagina and labia which tightens the soft tissue and stimulates the production of elastin and collagen. The result is increased lubrication and renewed thickness, strength and tone in the vaginal walls and labia. Moprheus8 V treats painful sex; loose vaginal walls; decreased vaginal sensation/lowered sex drive; sagging, wrinkled or enlarged labia; vaginal dryness; and urinary incontinence.

FormaV treats sexual dysfunction or acts as an adjunct to Kegel exercises. Patients can expect tightening of the muscles of the pelvic floor to increase muscle tone and blood circulation. Additionally, FormaV treats urinary leakage, UTI’s, vaginal laxity, vaginal dryness and discomfort and pain during intercourse.

VTone is a gentle FDA-cleared technology designed to provide intravaginal electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and neuromuscular re-education to rehabilitate weak pelvic floor muscles and address stress, urge and mixed urinary incontinence.

Pre- and After-Care

Morpheus8 V – This treatment doesn’t require any form of anesthesia other than a locally applied numbing gel. There is no need for advance preparation and no extensive recovery time. Treatments take only a few moments and are not painful other than a possible sensation of gentle heat. Hot tubs or soaking in a bath are to be avoided for a few days, but there is no significant discomfort. Practitioner may recommend postponing intimacy for 48-72 hours.

Forma V – Patients getting a FormaV treatment can expect to feel a heating sensation during treatment and for several hours afterward. Some patients experience no discomfort while others report slight discomfort during and immediately after treatment. There is no downtime and patients may resume normal activities following treatment.

A leading aesthetic health clinic serving Tampa and beyond, St. Pete Wellness & MedSpa offers all the above services, customized and tailored to suit the specific needs of each client for optimal results. Medical Director Eugene R. DeLucia III, DO practices true regenerative medicine, reversing the damage at the cellular level, creating health and more youth from the inside-out. He and his team are proud to offer the highest standard of care for their patients to feel and look their best. Cutting-edge services offered include BBL Forever Young, Moxi, Morpheus8, laser hair removal, fillers and Botox, MINT PDO threads, antiaging treatments and more. Conveniently located in downtown St. Pete at 111 2nd Ave. NE, Ste. 505 (Tower Plaza and Courtyard, behind BellaBrava on Beach Dr.). For more information and appointments, call 727-873-0500 and/or visit StPeteWellnessMedSpa.com. See ad right.